Lunch, Outside, Nap...Does It Really Work?

[SilverSabre25]

I've seen lately that several of you use a schedule like this, with outside time coming between lunch and nap. Do the kids fall asleep easily and sleep well with a schedule like this? I'm thinking about trying it but I'm afraid of screwing up their naps!

[dEHmom]

fresh air tires the kids out!

But I don't have a specific schedule. I often find it's eat, nap then outside.

[Zoe]

I do lunch, outside, story time, nap. We're not outside for very long, but enough time for them to get their energy out. Then story time calms them down for nap. After nap, we have snack, then we go outside again until pick up time. It really works for me!

[dEHmom]

my problem is kids need to nap as close to 1 pm as possible, because we pack up and leave just after 3pm. so they need the earlier nap times.

[Meyou]

I do outside, potty and diaper change, lunch, storytime, potty, nap. I regularly lose one of the little ones to sleep during story.

ETA: I notice a HUGE difference in the kids if we dont go out before lunch.

[SilverSabre25]

I would be doing a really early lunch, like 11 or 11:30, then outside until 12:15 or 13:20, then diapers/potty and then naps close to 1 where they are now. I'm thinking it might fit into our schedule better, but I'm afraid they won't sleep.

[SandeeAR]

Mine are all under 16 mos, so we still do morning naps. We usually do morning nap (9-10), outside(10:30-11:30) ,if it's not windy/cool, lunch (12:00-12:30), nap (1:00- 3pm), snack and then outside til parents come. The morning outside trip also depends on if they sleep a little longer in the mornings or if they are all REAL cranky

[countrymom]

I think they would be more wound up. Wow, that is an early lunch. I find that we eat at 12pm (they eat in 15 min flat) then they play till one, and just before nap I change them I found that they settle down more, and they play quitely till nap. Also it help their food digest.

[melskids]

we usually do our morning routine, then outside, lunch, nap, snack, bus pick ups (at 3), and outside again.

but when the are full of energy, we do go out again after we eat lunch, even if its only for 15 minutes. when we do this, i run them hard. we'll come in for a story and they're out like a light.

[SilverSabre25]

Right now we do outside 11-12, lunch at 12:30, naps at 1, but I'm finding that to not be working very well. I'm trying to figure out something that has our days going smoother, but I haven't been successful yet.

If I do that early of a lunch, we'll do no morning snack and a really good afternoon snack.

[GG~DAYCARE]

I like to do outside before lunch and get them nice and hungry. Mine are so ready for nap after lunch! I can't wait for the warm weather. We live outside except for naptime...that is until the hot weather and than the gnats come out to feed on us!!!

[AnythingsPossible]

We do lunch at 11:30, on days when they eat and get finished up, we head out side for 15 to 20 minutes, then come inside. We head in at 12:15, and they use the restroom while I set up mats, then we read and take a nap. I generally have 3 to 6 kids at nap time, so we cycle through pretty quickly in the restroom. Some days are longer, but I have kids that like to linger in the bathroom, they are at the end of the rotation and I start reading with or without them. We are always laid down by 12:40 at the latest. There is a definite difference during the winter when we don't go out and the spring/summer when we do. They nap quicker and harder for sure.

[jen]

We do lunch, potty, outside, potty, story time, nap...I never have nap issues!

I think that the story time or other quiet activity is an important transistion between outside (wound-up) and sleep.

[morgan24]

Lunch is over by 11:30, then we do nap, get up at 1:30, have snack and go outside. My first pick up is 2:30, so that's what works for now. I like the idea of lunch, outside, nap. I'm going to try it when I have a larger group. Thanks for the idea!

[SimpleMom]

i do activity time, outdoors, lunch, nap, snack, outdoors. even if we can't get outdoors, we play some sort of large muscle game. IF that doesn't happen...the routine keeps naps in check. my kifds rest very quietly at regular times to recharge and grow